


Do you know that there's still a chance for you ('Cause there's a spark in you)

by Sanshal



Series: Omega 'Verse [10]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Adopted Sibling Relationship, Alpha Jensen, Alpha Jensen Ackles, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angst, Beta Jared Padalecki, Comfort Food, Cooking, Cooking Lessons, Corporal Punishment, Family Feels, Fluff and Angst, Food, Food as a Metaphor for Love, Friendship/Love, M/M, Milk And Cookies, Multi, New Family, Not the Js, Pack Building, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Sexual Abuse, Past Violence, Punishment, Starvation, Testing Boundaries
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-01-05
Packaged: 2019-09-26 13:02:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17142230
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sanshal/pseuds/Sanshal
Summary: Jared had survived a severe medical condition as a pre-teen and been forced to take a certain medication well into his teens for the treatment. Now he is healthy... but the fact that the medication had a little known after-effect of turning alphas into omegas goes undetected in Jared's case till he applies for and gets selected for a highly competitive student-exchange programme.Now he is forced to give up his family and move in with 'his' alpha- a stranger chosen by the government whom he has never met before; but is expected to bear offspring for by the end of the yearThis part- It's been six years since we last saw the boys and a lot has changed ...(lame summary is lame, I know. Just read the story, okay?)





	1. Chapter 1

Omega Verse Timestamp

  
**Do you know that there's still a chance for you ('Cause there's a spark in you)**

  
****\---

 

 

  
Do you know that there's still a chance for you  
'Cause there's a spark in you  
You just gotta ignite the light  
And let it shine...  
  
Katie Perry

  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
\------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

 

**Jared grinned as he read _The Enchanted Wood_ from the _Faraway Tree_ series to his kids for the fourth time that week. The series had been a birthday gift for them even though the book-store owner had protested that it was too mature for the six-year old twins. Despite Jared’s insistence that he knew what was best for his kids, the old-fashioned alpha had refused to budge until eventually Jensen had been forced to step in and assure the other alpha that their children were advanced for their age and the book would be perfect for them. Their instincts had turned out accurate when both children had fallen in love with the book immediately. They were still on the very first of the four-part series, but it had only been a fortnight and Jared knew his little ones well enough to know that they would master this one in its entirety and be reading it on their own before they lost their fascination with it and insisted on moving to the second story.**

**Back when they were born, Jared had never dared to hope that he would get a chance to be a part of their life; but now, six-years down the line, he couldn’t imagine living without them. It had been an exciting time filled with memories both good and bad. Among the good ones, one of his favourites was the day he and Jensen had tied the knot. Their little boy had been the ring bearer and their darling angel, the flower girl. And though Jared had known Jensen for the better part of three years by then, he had felt like the naive teenager all over again. ... They had moved back to their old neighbourhood- not the same house, but one two lanes away from the place where he had conceived their kids. ... Jensen had been promoted to full chef. And Jared had managed to get a degree in accountancy and was currently pursuing a diploma in business management. He was slightly older than most of his classmates, having chosen to take a year and half’s sabbatical to spend more time with his children, but he didn’t regret the time spent with them in the least.**

**The good memories outnumbered the bad, but one of the worst things that had happened to them was Henry’s death. The older omega had suffered a massive cardiac arrest a little less than a year ago and had succumbed in mere minutes. Jared had been there and called Jensen frantically after alerting the emergency services, but by the time Jensen reached the hospital some twenty minutes later, everything had been over. The kindly omega had left a huge hole in both their hearts and the house felt empty and vacant nowadays once the kids were in bed and Jensen was yet to return.**

**Jared tucked them in once they had dozed off to his voice, switched on the night-light and tiptoed out. Heading to the kitchen, he made himself some instant noodles; ladled himself a plate and carried it with him to their bedroom, aware that Jensen would be returning late and would have already eaten. His husband was spending the evening with his cousin, Mark Pellegrino. Even the alpha’s name made Jared wrinkle his nose in disgust, so it was no wonder then that the two had a spectacular falling out soon after his marriage to Jensen. The man had invited himself to their home and made the mistake of making disparaging remarks about omegas. Henry had gone quiet and terrified at the unpleasant words and when Jensen had embarrassedly lowered his eyes and refused to intervene, Jared had taken it upon himself to speak up in defence. Pellegrino’s expression had almost been hilarious the way his eyes had gotten so wide, but assuming Jensen’s silence to mean his agreement with Pellegrino’s sentiments, the man had made the mistake of reaching out and actually grabbing Jared. He still wasn’t sure what the man had intended to do to him, because while Jensen had let the verbal insults roll off his back like water on oil; he had drawn the line at anyone touching his family. Mark Pellegrino had found himself facing the wrong end of the chef’s wickedly sharp paring knife that day. No blood had been drawn, but the day had ended with the other alpha storming away.**

**The two alphas had eventually made up, much to Jared’s displeasure; with Jensen being the first to extend the olive branch. When he’d furiously demanded why the chef was so backbone-less when it came to Mark, Jensen had carefully explained that he couldn’t care less about his cousin; however, cutting off all contact with the man meant leaving his omegas to their circumstance. That he _had to_ keep good terms with him to be able to sneak in occasional treats to Denny and Vincent. ... And Jared had nothing to say to that. So Jensen kept in touch with Mark Pellegrino; visited his house as often as the opportunity presented itself to sneak edible treats to the two omegas there and went out to restaurants and bars the rest of the time; but he never invited Mark to the Ackles-Padalecki residence again and never made the mistake of taking Jared along when he went to meet the man.**

**By the time Jensen got back, Jared was long done with his meal and had even finished updating all his notes for his diploma. He was done with his bath and was looking forward to giving his husband a warm welcome once he got back. His plans were abruptly cancelled when he got a glimpse of Jensen’s expression as he let himself in.**

**“What happened? Are you alright?”**

**The alpha just stood at the door staring at him wordlessly, prompting Jared to walk up to the man and wrap him in his arms. Jensen melted into his touch and the beta could _feel_ him trembling. Times like these, he was glad to have a few inches on his husband.**

**“Hey... sshhh.... everything’s okay, alright? I’ve got you. You’re okay... sshhh... it’s okay...it’s okay... calm down.”**

**Jensen tried to regulate his breathing but it was quite clearly not working as well as they’d hoped and the alpha’s chest was rising with increasingly panicked inhales as he struggled to breath.**

**“Hey! Look at me- _look at me, Jensen!-_ Yes, good... that’s good... now repeat after me, okay?”**

**He waited for the man’s tiny nod before beginning.**

**“91...87...89...93...85...84...98...”**

**As the man repeated the random numbers, brow furrowing adorably as he tried to make sense of the sequence, his breathing finally regulated itself and Jensen went pliant in his arms. Together, they stumbled up the stairs and to their bedroom, before Jared divested the man of his street clothes, wiped down the sweat efficiently with a baby-wipe and bundled him into soft sleep-wear. They were huddled together under the blankets before Jared demanded answers.**

**“Mark’s selling Denny.”**

**“What?!”**

**The chef just shrugged sadly, “He miscarried the last two pregnancies... he’s at the med-wing at TOC at the moment, but the paperwork’s complete. He won’t be going home again.”**

**“That’s awful!”**

**Jensen nodded. “What bothers me is that Mark’s not even going to tell the boy, you know? I mean yeah, it’s not like he visits or anything... but Denny will literally find out when TOC arrives to take him. Mark was upset they wouldn’t let him charge Denny for the sum he lost when he miscarried.”**

**“That’s horrible!” Jared whispered, cuddling closer to the man who had once owned him, but never abused his power over the naive teenager. “...but that’s not why you had a panic attack, was it?”**

**Jensen’s cheeks turned scarlet and he hid his face against Jared’s shoulder, “Ugh...! Do we really _have_ to speak about that?”**

**“Tell me,” He coaxed.**

**“I saw you... and all of a sudden it wasn’t Denny who was getting taken away by the TOC. It was you.”**

**“I’m safe.”**

**“And thank Heaven for that!” Jensen murmured, pulling back to lie on his back and throwing an arm over his face. “I don’t know what’ll I do if I ever lost you, Jared.”**

**“Thank you,” The beta murmured, and then after a pause, “You know what you have to do now, don’t you, Jensen?”**

**The alpha lifted his arm to glance at his mate and husband, “You’re sure about this?”**

**Jared smiled, “I’m sure.”**

### 


	2. Chapter 2

**Three weeks later**

 

**Jared waited impatiently as he tried to focus on his books. Lunch was ready- a simple but hearty pumpkin soup, some grilled carrots and freshly baked bread. He was nowhere near Jensen’s level of kitchen expertise but he had learnt to put up simple meals under the alpha’s tutelage. He still did not _enjoy_ cooking quite as much as his husband, but given Jensen’s love for all things food, he’d learnt to appreciate flavours, besides; it was a great way to spend time together.**

**He glanced at the children and found them still engrossed in colouring the food-based colouring book Jared had bought as a gag. Jensen had found it absolutely hilarious when both kids had immediately adored the book- _the love for food was apparently gene-deep._ He had stopped laughing the first time their boy had coloured a tomato purple and given bright green polka dots to the bread loaf.**

**It was surprisingly peaceful, but Jared couldn’t concentrate: Jensen was at the TOC to collect Denny and as much as Jared had wanted to be with him, the place just held far too many memories for him to contemplate visiting for any reason. They had made sure that all the papers were in order-** _every 't' slashed and 'i' dotted_ **, before submitting it to the TOC for review but then it was out of their hands. It had been a nerve-wracking  two-week long wait as their application was processed, but then they had received a call last Friday informing them that their application had been successful and that they could collect their omega today. As good of a sign as that was, he just hoped that things went smoothly and there were no unforeseen hiccups. The familiar rumble of Jensen’s car turning in their driveway brought him out of his thoughts and he abandoned his books without even bothering to mark his place in the thick tome as he hurried to the door. The children tailed after him, having identified the sound of their father’s car as well and Jared had to physically bar the door to prevent them from running out to greet the alpha. Jared’s eyes were on his husband as he emerged from the car and locked it, checking for sign of stress and he paid for his distraction when he felt something wriggle by his legs and then there were twin high pitched squeals as the two pint-sized escape artists made their break. The front lawn was awash in autumn colours and though it was warm, there was a slight nip in the air and Jared worried that the children were not dressed warmly enough to step outside. There was enough space in their front lawn that Jared didn't worry about the children slipping out onto the road immediately despite their barreling steps but before he could chase after them Denny was gathering up both kids with a loud whoop. Jensen met his eyes over the crouching omega’s head and Jared relaxed at the peace he saw in them. There was the expected hint of underlying sadness, but Jared wasn't much worried about that because as far as he was concerned, anyone who came out of the TOC without feeling atleast a sliver of melancholy needed to get their head checked. They would talk about it later and Jared would do his best to soothe the hurt... For now, priority was getting the omega settled in. The alpha dipped down to swing his daughter up into his arms- _leaving Denny to pick up the boy_ , and headed for the door, pausing to sneak a quick kiss from Jared.**

**There was a soft gasp and Jared turned his head to find Denny gaping up at him. Jensen stepped up next to him, lowering the child in his arms to the floor and wrapping an arm around Jared's waist with easy familiarity as he turned to the newly acquired omega. “Denny, you remember my husband Jared?”**

**The omega was clearly shocked, but he quickly composed himself and nodded his head, not meeting either of their eyes, “Yes, Sir. Thank you for opening your door to me, Mast-... uh... sir.”**

**“Hey, none of that now,” Jared rebuked lightly, leaning forward to take the child so that the omega was free to carry his bags unencumbered. “No one’s a _master_ or sir here, okay? You can call me Jared.”**

**“Yes, Si-.... uh... _Jared_.” Denny whispered uncomfortably. “I’m sorry. I-I-I-... I didn’t mean to offend you.”**

**Jared could see that for whatever reason he was frightening the omega and while everything in him wanted to wrap up the slip-thin figure in his arms, he stayed away. “It’s fine. C’mon, I’ll show you to your room so that you can freshen up. Food’s ready, so we can eat whenever you are done.”**

**“Yes Si.. _Jared.”_**

**He offered another smile, trying to convey that he wasn’t angry but the omega had his head lowered. He opened the room he had prepared for the omega- it was Henry’s old room and cleaning it had been an emotional task for both him and Jensen, but watching Denny’s eyes widen in disbelief as he looked around was a balm to his soul.**

**“Is this okay?”**

**“This... is for me?” The omega breathed. “You- you’re giving me a bed?”**

**Jared frowned at the implication of that but forced his expression to smoothen out as he offered another smile. Denny was older than him by a few years, but given how _tiny_ he looked next to him- and the wide-eyed innocence in his eyes; Jared felt like _he_ was the adult... which yeah, technically he was, but  that wasn’t the point. Point was, despite being in his mid twenties, Denny looked to be in his mid-to-late teens!**

**“Everything in here is for you to use as you wish... and if we’ve missed something, please feel free to tell either Jensen or me, okay?” Jared told him as he turned to leave.**

**“Jared!”**

**He paused at the panicked call, turning back to the shorter man, “Yeah?”**

**“I-... I’m not going to try to take your place, okay? I-I promise. ... I didn’t even know Alpha Jensen still had you or that he’d mated with you-”**

**“We’re married,” Jared cut in. He could empathize with the other's fear- _an omega's welcome in a house stretched only as far as the house-beta's goodwill extended_ , but it hurt him too much to see those big blue eyes so filed with terror and he decided in that instant to explain the situation to the other omega as plainly as he could. It would make him sound abrupt, but it would also hopefully clear the air enough that Denny lost some of his dread. “Jensen and I married a few years after the TOC was done with me. ... so it’s not like he forced me, okay? Jensen really is as good as you think, I promise. He’s not going to force you in any way. You’re here because we need someone to watch over the kids. ... Pops used to do it but he died a few months ago and while we can manage when I just have my regular classes, I start my internship next month. So, yeah...” He shrugged, “Look Denny, I _know_ what the TOC offers as _rehabilitation_ to the omegas that cannot go back to their lives and I promise you that that’s not why you’re here-”**

**“I know,” Denny interrupted nervously. “They told me that it was a baby-sitter assignment.”**

**“Yeah, and tell me you didn’t think any different?” Jared challenged. “I mean c’mon... I’ve been in the system. Things worked out far differently for me and I got real lucky, but that's a long story and I'll tell you about it some other time. What I'm trying to tell you is that I’m under no illusions about what might’ve happened to me if things hadn’t gone the way they did. And I was there at the centre for my training, you know? They put me on accelerated training because of my age so I met some of the older omegas... and the one thing they _all_ told me was that it can be packaged as prettily as you please, but the TOC is in the _business_ of trading omegas and under the pretty words, the truth about most of the rehabilitation jobs on offer is the same; all that varies is the frequency of _demand._ ” He sighed before looking up, “I know you don’t believe me, but I guarantee you that this is different. We really _are_ looking for someone to babysit our kids. Nothing else,”**

**The omega nodded his understanding.**

**Jared offered a reassuring smile, “Come to me if anyone bothers you, okay? _Even Jensen_... I’ll handle it.”**

**He stepped out of the room before Denny could formulate a reply. Turning towards their bedroom he found Jensen- _freshly showered and changed into comfortable sweats and a tee-_ lounging against the door. The alpha inclined his head and Jared followed him inside.**

**“You were eavesdropping?”**

**“Not quite. Just overheard that last bit,” Jensen told him, twining his arms around Jared’s back and pulling him closer. “You know that you really don’t have to worry about him stealing my affections, don’t you? You’re the only one for me, Sweetheart.”**

**“I know that,” Jared admitted easily, “And I’ll gut you with one of your own knives if you ever start fantasizing about me not being enough for you... but I digress. I told Denny that because _he_ doesn’t know any different.”**

**“Oh,”**

**“He’s terrified, Jensen.”**

**The alpha nodded, leaning forward to rest his forehead against Jared’s sharply defined left shoulder bone. “I wish I could do more.”**

**“One step at a time, Alpha... You were the one to teach me that.”**

**“I know, but you didn’t see them, Jared.”**

**“You went to the barracks?”**

**“Not inside, but yeah.”**

**"Right," Jared nodded.  “Let’s settle Denny in, first. And get me my degree...Then we can think about improving the lot of the omegas at the TOC.”**

**Jensen pulled back to peer up at his husband curiously, “Looks like you’ve given this some thought,”**

**Jared grinned down at green eyes with mock affront, “What, you think I picked business management on a whim or something?”**

**Jensen opened his mouth to respond but there was a muffled thump from the kitchen and both men hurried towards it, relieved to find that it was only an upturned ottoman. Denny was already there, setting it upright and asking the children if they had gotten hurt when it had fallen.**

**“So, who’s hungry?” Jared announced as he started ladling the soup.**

**Jensen watched as Denny led the kids to the bathroom to wash their hands and turned to his beta, “Don’t think I’ve forgotten what we were talking about.”**

**“Oh, were we talking?” Jared laughed, winking at the man as he passed him the filled bowls to place around the table.**

**“Brat,” Jensen growled, but his voice was playful and Jared knew that the man was not really annoyed. They would finish that conversation sometime, may not be today or tomorrow... but someday and then – _well, who could say what the future held?_**


	3. Chapter 3

**“So, about that plan of yours...” Jensen began.**

**Jared huffed, raising himself back on his knees and frowning at the alpha he was straddling. The day had been surprisingly successful- _if he did say so himself_ , but apparently his husband was still hung up on their unfinished conversation from that afternoon.**

**“Do we really have to talk about this?” He frowned. “Can’t we just... you know, celebrate?” He wriggled his eyebrows lasciviously.**

**Jensen’s hands came up to bunch the night-shirt at his waist, “As much as I want to _celebrate,_ I _need_ to know what you’re planning, kiddo.”**

**“Why?” He could feel the whine in his tone, but as much as he hated it, it was beyond his control to rein it in.**

**“Because I don’t care how noble the cause is; if I lost you Kiddo, I’m not going to survive it. I know I won’t die physically, that’s not what I’m worried about. I-... I’m worried about what I’ll turn into without you there... and that’s not the kind of person I want around our kids. So if not me, think about them at least, okay? Don’t take away their Papa from them.” Jensen looked down, eyes trained on his hands which were playing with the hem of Jared’s nightshirt. “I know that omegas deserve better... and if anyone can do anything for them, they should; but I-” _And now he chose to look up and meet his mate’s eyes,_ “I’m a selfish bastard, Jared. I cannot lose you. _Please.”_**

**Jared blinked at the explanation. _This was what Jensen had been thinking about all day?_**

**“You’re not going to lose m-”**

**“Promise?” The alpha demanded; his desperation plainly audible.**

**Jared offered a reassuring smile, “I promise.”**

**“But-”**

**He pressed his forefinger to the alpha’s plush lips to silence him, “No. _I promise, alright?_ You’re not going to lose me. What I hope to accomplish is nothing to worry about either. It’s perfectly legal as well. So relax,”**

**Jensen breathed out heavily at his words, practically melting into the bed as his tension finally eased. “Okay,” He blew out another deep breath. “I’m all ears.”**

**“Patience, love.” Jared smiled down at him.**

**The alpha’s eyes widened, “You’re not going to tell me, are you?”**

**“I am,” Jared shrugged, “Just not right now.”**

**Green eyes narrowed as furrowed brows peered up at him, “Why not?”**

**“Because you’re going to stress about it unnecessarily... No, I know that sounds ominous, but I promise I’m not going to do anything, okay? Not till you say yes. ...I’m not planning on sneaking away and turning into a caped crusader or anything. In fact I’m not going to do _anything_ about the omegas at all until you are convinced and back my play... Besides, I’m still not sure about everything and I need to do a bit more research before I can approach you with it. So trust me and just relax. Nothing’s happening right now, not for a few more years at least. So right now, let’s just focus on enjoying each other, watching our kids grow and hopefully helping Denny.Yeah?”**

**“Well, when you put it like that...” The alpha purred, fingers sneakily sliding underneath Jared’s shirt.**

**Jared just grinned and pulled off his shirt to give him better access.**

************************************************************

**Jared’s good mod dissolved the next morning when there was a loud crash from the kitchen and Jared hurried to find Denny sitting amidst the shards of the broken saucer, knees drawn up to his chest and trembling with fear.**

**“Denny...?” He called softly, physically hauling up the terrified omega and transferring him to the table before efficiently cleaning up the mess.**

**“Are- are you going to send me back, Master?”**

**Jared paused to glance over his shoulder at the trembling man. “Of course not!”**

**“Then... what- what is my punishment?”**

**“For breaking a saucer?!” Jared questioned, taken aback.  Then, “Denny... there are no punishments in this house, man. It’s okay. Don’t worry about it.”**

**“No... no punishment?”**

**Jared offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile, “No. No punishment.”**

**Instead of looking reassured, Denny got a defiant expression and deliberately reached out and pulled the crystal vase on the centre towards him, then holding Jared’s gaze to make sure he was watching, pushed it off the table with a flick of his wrist.**

**Jared watched, horrified as his favourite vase shattered into a million glittering pieces. He opened and closed his mouth a few times before the shock weaned off into anger and then he glared at the omega they had _chosen_ to shelter, “Are you out of your _frickkin’_ mind?! Why would you do that- _what’s wrong with you?!”_**

**He marched up to the still calm omega and hauled him up by the collar of the brand new shirt he and Jensen had got him among the small selection they had purchased so that he didn’t have to wear the TOC-issued garb. Denny was slight enough that bodily lifting him was scarcely harder than picking both his children at the same time- _something he did frequently_ , but as he was about to shake some sense into the omega, he saw the grim resignation in the other man’s face and realized that it had been a test. Seething inwardly, he hauled him up and only set him down once they were out of the dining area and safely away from the shards littering the floor as a consequence of Denny’s little _test._ Still furious with the beta, he kept a grip on the bunched collar of the shirt at his nape and marched him to his room. “I’m just too angry to deal with you now. _Stay here.”_**

**He cleaned up the mess, thankful the kids were at school and that he had a few more hours before they got back- he and Jensen strived to keep their arguments away from little ears and given how angry he was, he didn’t want his kids to see him like this. He was still in a foul mood once he was done with clean up- _making sure to double and triple check for stray splinters which might catch a bare foot unawares_ ; the Zen mood he had been hoping for no more a reality than piecing back the broken vase. Sighing, he did the only thing he could- he called Jensen, hoping the older man would have some advice about how to deal with the situation.**

**His alpha listened attentively and sighed audibly into the speaker, Jared could picture him tiredly pinching the bridge of his nose. When he spoke though, there was nothing but calm confidence in his tone and Jared was grateful for reassurance.**

**“You did good, Kiddo.”**

**Jared slumped, “I scared him.”**

**“A kitten is going to scare him now, Sweetheart. You told him something and stuck to it, despite getting angry. That’s what counts. We need to be consistent.”**

**“That’s what you said the first time we had to punish the twins,”**

**Jensen let out a small chuckle, “Yeah well, it’s not too different really. Denny has no concept of family or stable relationships. He was dropped off at a state-welfare outlet’s steps when he was less than a week old, transferred to an orphanage. For whatever reason, he never got adopted out; and when he tested positive as an omega, he was shipped off to the TOC. With no family to ask after him or home to go back to, instead of leaving him be, they registered him as a breeder and _trained_ him. Don’t ask me what that means because I have no friggin’ clue and not really keen on the nightmares I’m gonna get if I find out. I just know he was trained because Mark used to insist that he needed to _recover_ what he’d spent to procure a _trained_ omega. And you know how he treated Denny.  ... So yeah, I dare say he’s expecting something far worse than what we can even imagine-”**

**“I-... When you put it that way, I feel guilty about shouting at the guy,” Jared mumbled.**

**“You _shouted_ at him, Sweetheart. And no matter how angry you were, you didn’t raise a hand to him. That has got to reassure him.”**

**“I don’t care if I compare favourably against _frickkin’_ Mark, Jensen! I’ve don’t even want to figure on that comparison list!”**

**There was silence at the other end for a moment before a muted hum sounded, “Point taken. And I agree...”**

**“But?” Jared asked tiredly, he wanted his husband home to cuddle up against, not in a kitchen a halfway across the city.**

**“But we have to set boundaries.”**

**“O-kay... and that means?”**

**“Punishments. Denny needs to know that he can’t just destroy things wilfully or act out the way he did today- _especially not around the kids_. It’s good to be nice and loving and everything, but I’m not risking you guys-”**

**“Jensen, he’s not a threat! He’s barely a hundred pounds soaking wet. I can take him down without a sweat if things really got that bad, but I don’t think he’s actually going to hurt me, you know?”**

**“And I’m telling you that I’m not willing to take that risk.” Jensen told him firmly; but before he could interrupt, the alpha continued, “Besides, he’s always going to be looking over his shoulder and uncertain of his place if he doesn’t get a concrete idea about what will happen if he seriously angers me.”**

**Jared conceded the point with reluctant agreement, “Okay.”**

**“Good, now let me speak to him, okay?”**

**Jared’s eyes widened, “Jensen you’re not-?”**

**“You’re not meting out punishments, Sweetheart. Now put me on speaker and let me talk to him.”**

**“Yes, alpha.”**

**“Brat,” Jensen chuckled at the teasing, listening for muted sounds of movement as Jared went to Denny’s room and knocked. He wasn’t surprised to hear the creak of the door opening instantly, the omega obviously waiting for Jared to summon him for punishment.”**

**“Jensen wants to talk to you, Denny.” Jensen heard his husband tell their guest and then a click signalling the speakerphone had been activated.**

**“Denny’s here, Jensen.”**

**“Alpha?” Came the shaky voice across the lines.**

**“Good afternoon, Denny. I heard about what you did from Jared-”**

**“I’m sorry, Alpha. I’m _really_ sorry. I didn’t mean to do it-”**

**“Are you telling me that Jared’s lying about you deliberately pushing that vase off the table, Denny?” Jensen snapped, voice sharp as he interrupted the mewling excuses.**

**“N-no, alpha... I-”**

**“I know you’re sorry, kid” Jensen softened his tone immediately. “But apologies don’t cut it. I mean, yeah; I get why you did it, but that doesn’t get me my vase back, does it?”**

**There was a soft sniffle, but no verbal protest of his words.**

**“Good boy. Glad to see that you’re owning up to your mistakes. Now, from what I understand of the situation, you broke the vase to see what happens when you annoy one or both of us. Well, you got your wish, you deliberately damaged our stuff; so now you get punished.”**

**There was a panicked gasp and then, Denny blurted panicked-ly: “Master Jared told me there are no punishments in this house!”**

**“There aren’t; not for accidental, _non-intentional_ things. When you deliberately act like a brat, I treat you like one. This wasn’t accidental, was it, Denny?”**

**“No, Sir. I- I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to.”**

**“I know you didn’t,” Jensen reassured, “But that doesn’t change that you wilfully damaged my property-”**

**He was interrupted again: “Are... are you going to send me back to the TOC?”**

**Jensen sighed, “No, I’m not going to send you back, Denny. You’re a good kid. You just made a mistake. So here’s how things are going to go: You are not to speak or mention this incident to the kids. ... In fact, I want the both of you to put this behind you, alright? We’ll handle this once I get home and _after_ the kids are in bed. Sound good?”**

**“Yes, Master.”**

**“Good boy.” Jensen praised. “You both okay now?”**

**“Yes,” They chorused and the line went dead.**

**Jared and Denny stared at each other for a moment and then the beta opened his arms, allowing the omega to burrow against him.**

**“What’s alpha going to do to me, Sir?”**

**“What did I tell you about calling me Sir or Master, Denny?” Jared reminded softly. “And Jensen’s not going to _do_ anything to you. I won’t let him.”**

**“Stupid omega forgot, S- _Jared.”_**

**“Hey, don’t put yourself down like that, okay? You’re not stupid.”**

**Denny nodded but Jared could feel him trembling against him. “Hey, stop freaking out, okay? It’ll be okay, you’ll see. Now, how do you feel about an ice-cream?”**

**The omega had brightened up at that and the two had spent a companionable hour over bowls of ice-cream before the twins got back from school. Games, homework and story-sessions kept them suitably occupied till it was almost dinner-time and the alpha got back from the restaurant. Dinner would have been unbearably awkward if not for the twins constant babble as they shared snippets of their day with their father.**

**Denny was shaking like a leaf as he presented himself to Jensen for punishment after putting the children to bed.**

**The alpha was prepared. He reached behind himself and pulled out a soft canvas bag with a familiar logo.  “You know what this is, Denny?”**

**“Ye-yes, Alpha.”**

**“This was bag they gave me for Jared.” Jensen explained, undoing the tie holding it together and pulling out its contents. “Do you see how they’re packed? Notice anything?”**

**The omega nodded, frowning in confusion as he viewed the implements in their plastic covers. “They look new, Alpha.”**

**“Yes, they do... very good, Denny.” The alpha praised. “And they _look_ new because they _are_ new. None of these have ever been used. Firstly because Jared here was... well _is, actually;_ is far too perfect to ever warrant a discipline session. And secondly because there is no corporal punishment in this house... Understand?”**

**“Yes, alpha.” If anything, the omega looked even sadder than before.**

**“Hey... what’s wrong? I- I thought it would a good thing. Why’re you crying?” Jensen asked as he noticed the tears spilling over smooth cheeks.**

**“Corporal punishment is better than the alternative, Master. You can beat me... I can take it, _please_.”**

**Jensen frowned, “Okay, now you need to tell me what you mean by that. What’s the _alternative_ , Denny?”**

**“Master Mark sometimes didn’t feel like punishing me with – with _the things from the bag_ \- sometimes... those times, he would punish me by not allowing me to eat.”**

**“What’s the longest that you went without food, Denny?”**

**“Th-three, days, Alpha.”**

**“Did you have to do your chores on those days?”**

**“Yes, Alpha.”**

**“And you survived three days without food?”**

**“I passed out, Alpha. My punishment wasn’t still over, but I had fainted while preparing Master Mark’s breakfast... he decreed that I’d learnt my lesson and permitted me to eat after that.”**

**“Hmmm, right.” Jensen nodded thoughtfully. “Yeah, no one’s’ going to keep you hungry in this house, Denny. I mean _yes_ ; your punishment’s food related... but not like what Mark did. I don’t think you can afford to lose any more calories anyway. ... So, you ready to hear your sentence, Kid?”**

**“Yes Sir.”**

**“Good boy. Okay, so here goes. ... I know how much you like sweet things, Denny... cakes, cookies, pastries, puddings, candies, chocolates ... stuff like that. You like those, don’t you, Denny?”**

**The omega’s cheeks pinkened at the mention of his sweet tooth. “Yes, Alpha.”**

**“Good. Well, I’m taking them off the menu for you for two days. So given its Tuesday today, you’re not getting any dessert until Friday.”**

**The omega stared.**

**Jensen quirked an eyebrow. “What? That doesn’t sound like enough of a punishment to you?”**

**“I’m sorry, Alpha. It’s just that Master Mark-”**

**“Do I look like Mark to you?” Jensen growled, willfully lowering his timbre and glaring at the omega before him.**

**“No sir.”**

**“Good. Then I don’t care what Mark did. This is my house and the rules here are different. You have a problem with that?”**

**“No Sir!”**

**Jensen smiled, “Good answer.”**

**Denny relaxed slightly. “Thank you, Alpha.”**

**Jensen nodded. “So you get how punishment works in this house? You deliberately mess up, you lose dessert privileges. I don’t care if it’s Christmas... you do something like this again, you forego your dessert. The duration of your deprivation will be dependent on the severity of the crime. However, if it’s a genuine mistake... something that happened because you didn’t know something or were unable to stop it from happening, then you’re safe. No punishments for accidents. Now, questions?”**

**“No, Alpha.” Denny smiled- a real one this time.**

**And Jensen dropped his sombre ‘alpha persona’ to embrace the slip-thin omega. “Next time you’re wondering what the rules are, just ask alright? Don’t break my stuff.”**

**“I’m sorry, Alpha. It will never happen again.”**

**Jensen smiled. “Good to hear. Now, off to bed with you, good night, Kid.”**

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this chapter was supposed to be the last one. It was also supposed to go up yesterday. Oh well... *shrugs*  
> Now, I've got this up but the total number of chapters is once more uncertain... but there's not much left of this story. Hopefully another chapter (or 2? who knows) should wrap it up and Heaven willing, they will be up by New years.  
> Happy holidays,  
>  ~~guys/gals!~~
> 
> ... friends. :-)


	4. Chapter 4

** One and a half years later **

**Jared grinned as his family whooped and cheered him as he walked across the dais to accept his certificate. _Everyone_ was there: his parents, his brother and his wife, Jensen and the kids, Denny, Chad and even Mark Sheppard.**

**He had graduated _summa cum laude_ and was been asked to give the valedictorian speech despite being only one of the two betas in a class-full of alphas. He had kept his speech short and to-the-point, not wanting to rub the fact that he’d scored better than all his alpha peers in the face of his classmates. Well, _he_ had wanted to, but Jensen had tactfully suggested he refrain from tooting his own horn in favour of accomplishing something in the real world- after all, employers still preferred an alpha over a _mere_ beta, no matter how perfect his GPA... and if any prospective employers were to attend the graduation ceremony, they would reject him on principle if he berated alphas in any way. Besides, if any of his peers landed a better position than him, taunting them now would mean antagonising them which in turn might lead to a backlash later. So being magnanimous in victory was the preferred alternative to eating humble pie later...  and even if he did not agree with the sentiment, he could see the wisdom in not antagonizing a class-full of alphas, whose help he may or may not need in the recent future, _especially if he was to set his plan in motion._**

**The celebratory dinner was at _Somras_ , courtesy of Mark; and it was late by the time the festivities wound down.**

**“So... what’s next, my superstar?” Jensen asked later that night as he put up Jared’s gold-medal in pride of place on their dresser.**

**Jared debated stalling, but he was pleasantly buzzed on the alcohol he had consumed all evening, and Jensen was in a good mood... there really could be no better time than now to unveil his plan.  He watched as Jensen sat down to unlace his shoes and marched up to his husband and straddled him, fearlessly looming over him as he met his gaze head-on and declared, “Now... well, _now_ we turn your dream into reality.”**

**Instead of the instantaneous denial he’d expected, Jensen just blinked up at him. _The alpha must’ve been even more drunk than he’d imagined..._**

**“My... _dream?”_ Jensen repeated incredulously, “Jared, do you mean...?”**

**He smiled winningly, “Yep!”**

**Jensen reached out a hand to cup his jaw gently, “That’s very sweet of you, Darling... but we need to be real here. My dream needs a lot more time before it can be implemented.”**

**“What if I told you that I had a plan?” Jared demanded, eyes sparkling mischievously.**

**“Plan?” Jensen asked, eyes losing their haziness instantly to sharpen and swing up to meet Jared’s gaze. “Your _Omega_ _plan_?”**

**Jared laughed. He loved how easy it was for him and Jensen to be on the same page- a word, a look or a turn of phrase and the alpha was instantly in Jared’s head, knowing what he was talking about.**

**“Yep!” He repeated, popping the ‘p’ as he answered in the affirmative. Still holding Jensen’s gaze, he leaned back slowly to relieve the strain on his knees as he knelt above the supine alpha, knowing beyond a shadow of doubt that Jensen would bring up his knees to provide him a ‘back rest’. Sure enough, his movement was stopped with the appearance of two meaty thighs.**

**“Want a pillow?” Jensen asked, yanking one of the throw cushions scattered around the headboard to offer it to Jared.**

**“I’m good.”**

**“Okay then, go on. I’m all ears.” The alpha commented as he jammed the cushion behind his own back, elevating his upper body. Jared wordlessly lifted his hips slightly as Jensen shifted around, piling cushions behind him till he had a soft backrest; the beta settled back down once he was in position.**

**Jared looked down, idly toying with the firm contours of the alpha’s stomach just hinted at behind soft cotton as he formulated the best way to explain his idea to his husband.**

**“You’ve been running the _Somras_ kitchen for five years now and that’s great and all ... but ... your dream was always to open your own kitchen.” He met his husband’s green eyes shyly, waiting for the man’s reaction when there was no verbal response.**

**“What?” Jensen shrugged with a smile, “I can’t say you’re wrong without lying through my teeth... I agree with you. I just don’t know if I’m ready to start my own place... If a dish is not well received, it’s bad... but well, working at _Somras_ is like having a safety-net. I’m not sure I’m ready to risk it without one yet.”**

**“You’re worried about the quality of your food?” Jared questioned incredulously, “ _Seriously?_ ”**

**“No,” Jensen sighed. He rubbed absently at the five-o’clock shadow on his cheeks while he formulated his reply and then shut his eyes briefly as he pinched the bridge of his nose the way he was prone to whenever he was thinking about something seriously. “It’s not the food I’m worried about per se... We can get a food truck or a small place going if I put everything I have into it. I... uh- I’m just worried about what happens if it tanks. ... I mean, it’s not like there’s a shortage of restaurants in the city. A dozen new places crop up every year... but hardly any of them last for more than a few years. And I _don’t_ want to be in that group, Jared. I’ve got Denny and the kids to think about. And yes, I _know_ you’re going to pitch in... but I _am_ trying to be realistic  here. Despite your brilliant scores, you’re a fresh graduate, Kiddo and while I don’t doubt that you’re going to be playing in the big leagues soon enough, you _are_ a beta and we all know the reality of employers picking a beta over an alpha for high-stress jobs like yours is going to be. And even if we waive the discrimination thing away, you need _experience_. A handful of years down the line when you’re established in your field- _sure,_ ” Jensen shrugged. “They’ll be lining up for you at the door then, but you need to prove yourself first. So putting everything we have in one basket and taking a chance right this instant is ... well, daunting.” He looked up, reaching out to take Jared’s hands in his own and brushing an apologetic kiss to his knuckles as he concluded, “The kids are just too young at the moment for one. And while Denny is family, the TOC won’t hesitate to take him away if they think we can’t support him. So while I’m not saying no, I’m saying we need to give it a few more years.”**

**Jared smiled softly at his husband, heart warming as it always did when he caught glimpses of just _how much_ Jensen cared. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips to the alpha’s plump ones; catching hints of the bitter aftertaste of the evening’s alcohol before reaching the familiar flavour that was pure Jensen. Pulling back he rubbed his face over the other’s cheeks, ignoring the prickle caused by his stubble as he whispered, “What if I told you I had a plan to work around that?”**

**Jensen grinned. “I’m listening.”**

**“Okay, so first of all; this is not something you’re going into alone- _or me, for that matter_. We’re a team- you do the cooking, I handle the business. I didn’t intern at restaurants specifically without a plan. I was learning the ropes on how to run one. And two, it’s not going to be small little corner restaurant- and _definitely not a food truck!_ ”**

**“You don’t like food trucks?” Jensen asked, an amused smile lurking at the corners of his lips.**

**“Oh, shut up!” Jared smacked his alpha’s chest playfully, “As if you don’t know any different.”**

**Jensen laughed too, loving how easy it was to rile his mate up.**

**“I’m saying _we_ are not running a food-truck. Ours will feature right up there with _Somras_ and _Angel’s in the kitchen_ and _Hanglathuriam_.”**

**The alpha’s eyes widened at the ambitiousness of the project his husband was suggesting and he opened his mouth to ask and then had a finger immediately pressed against it for his trouble.**

**“You’re worried about the funding, I know.” Jared said and grinned when his husband just nodded, content to stay silent and just listen for the moment.**

**“About that, remember the amount you gave me as _compensation_ after the TOC let me go? I had Nate invest that for me in various stocks and stuff... it’s all a little technical, and a whole lot boring, so let’s not go into detail about it right now, okay? Just suffice to say that it’s grown into quite a nest egg over the past nine years. ... The total will jump up considerably once the decade mark on it comes up in a few months, though; so I’d suggest letting it sit awhile more while we get the rest of the things done. I know you have an account set up for this purpose already, so if we combine the two it’ll be good enough for a decently sized place. Plus, I know my parents want to pitch in monetarily. So, that gives us enough to get a place, but- _to use your words_ \- if I’m being realistic, getting a address for the place is the least of our worries. We’ll need to set up a fully functional kitchen, get tables and chairs and decor... and hire a staff. For the first, we can always take a loan. Our burden will be eased some because I already know someone who wants to invest heavily in this venture... as for the staff,” He took a deep breath. “Well, that’s where the TOC comes in.”**

**Jensen’s jaw dropped open in surprise, no words coming forth as he tried to wrap his mind around everything Jared had told him. Eventually he muttered, “The TOC...?”**

**Jared nodded. “They have this whole section for omegas that cannot go back and seamlessly rejoin the society. And then they have these breeders like Denny who are barren and were never a part of the society in the first place. They are supposedly ‘rehabilitating’ these individuals, but you and I both know that most of them are pressed back into ‘service’ or sent off to pleasure houses. What if we hire them? Our workforce will be made up entirely of omegas that have been rejected by society. That way they’ll be safe and we’ll get staff at a fraction of the salary we’d have to pay if we employed alphas or betas. ... And who knows, once we tell them our idea, we might even manage to get the TOC to fund us partially.”**

**Jensen nodded as he listened: Jared had put some serious thought into this and he could objectively respect that. “You mentioned an investor. Who?”**

**“Chef Sheppard.”**

**“Mark?!” Jensen’s eyes widened in disbelief, “Are you kidding me? I mean, I _know_ he’s a good guy, but dude! I’d be quitting his restaurant and go up in direct competition with his establishment if we do this. Why on earth would he help us?”**

**“Oh, I don’t know... Maybe because his oldest kid was an omega who committed suicide because after getting released, she agreed to take on a job from the TOC’s rehabilitation sector and found himself back in the same Hell that he’d escaped only months earlier? Does that sound like a good reason?” Jared returned snippily.**

**“I didn’t know,” Jensen whispered.**

**“I’m sorry for snapping at you,” Jared apologised, leaning up to embrace the alpha in an act of contrition. “I know you didn’t know. I only found out because Mark approached me to ask if you were treating me well... He’d been planning to fire you when he found out that you’d gotten yourself an omega like the bastards who’d gotten his kid killed... Hell, he’d already started looking for a replacement for you. But then you asked him if you could bring me along so that I wasn’t left alone all day and he figured if nothing it’d give him a chance to care for me from your ‘cruelty’. He hadn’t been able to save his son, but he was desperate to protect me from the same fate. ... And the more he found out about how you treated me, the more he liked you. I mean, sure; you were a great chef and an asset in his kitchen, but he didn’t like you any more than that till he saw firsthand how good you were to me. ... I’d spoken to him about my idea when I was interning-”**

**“You interned at _Somras_?”**

**“At your second outlet.” Jared admitted with a blush. “Didn’t tell you because I didn’t want people to think I’d gotten the job by namedropping your name... and I know you wouldn’t think that, but if you’d accidentally mentioned that I was there to someone, they might have thought -”**

**“Its fine, I understand.” Jensen cut in, squeezing his wrist reassuringly.**

**“I did my second internship at _Hanglathuriam_.”**

**“Wow,”**

**Jared smiled. “Yeah, so anyway. Mark thought it was a wonderful idea... he wished there was something like this for his son... and he wants to help so that no other parent goes through what he did.”**

**Jensen nodded.**

**“So, what do you think?” Jared asked breathlessly; suddenly nervous about how his idea would be received.**

**“It sounds like a brilliant idea.”**

**A relieved smile escaped the beta. “So we’re doing it?”**

**“We’re doing it,” Jensen confirmed. “I mean, yeah, it’s going to take work, but... I agree with you, this has a hell of a lot of potential.”**

**“Thank you,” Jared smiled, relaxing slightly before his eyes widened and he thunked his head dejectedly at Jensen’s shoulder.**

**“What? What’s wrong?”**

**“I just realized that this means I’m going to have to go to the TOC.”**


	5. Chapter 5

** 7 months and twelve days later **

**Jared paced restlessly as Jensen stood by the door of the large warehouse like building. It had been a printing press once upon a time, but with the popularity of mobile phones, tablets, kindle and other reading devices, the firm had gone bankrupt and sold the place for a pittance... and Jared and Jensen were the proud new owners of the place.**

**And as much as Jared would like to deny it, the TOC’s help had been invaluable in the acquisition of this prime spot of land. ... in the seven months since sharing his plan with his husband,  things had happened in unforeseen ways: Jared had drafted up a proper plan, seeking some of his old professor’s help to ensure that the document was worded carefully and no loopholes were left for exploitation. He and Jensen had spent hours going through their finances with a fine-comb, checking and double checking their funding options; then approaching a bank with their concept and discussing their prospects with the manager. Despite their financial credibility, they had never had a business venture before and the manager explained that while their idea certainly had merit, they needed to significantly lower their loan amount for a successful sanction of the loan. The sudden budget constraints this put in their plan sent them back to the drawing board and after long discussions, they realized they needed to look into real estate prices first to get an estimate of how much dough would be left to set up their restaurant once they found a suitable property. And so, the two of them spent many a fruitless weekend following around a property manager in hopes of finding the ideal place to start their restaurant- nothing seemed to click. The realtor did show them a few promising places, but none of those were in their budget and the ones that were in budget were so abysmal that they both vetoed it instantly. Ultimately it was Denny who told them in no uncertain terms that they were wasting their time and effort by delaying approaching the TOC. Despite how much neither of them wanted to associate with that organization again, they could not deny the wisdom of the omega’s words and reluctantly set up a meeting with the agency.**

**And then things took an unexpected turn.**

**While their experiences with the TOC had left them wary and the condition of the omegas on the ground level was undeniably bad, they soon discovered that the upper echelon of the organization was genuinely involved in the betterment of the omegas under their control. They jumped at their idea, sanctioning a generous grant within a week and putting the TOC’s not-inconsiderable resources into mobilizing things. It was the TOC’s local Centre-Manager – the one who had sat through extensive talks with them regarding their plans; that had identified this property as ideal for their purposes. Apparently, the TOC procured and leased large spaces such as the building in question for the purpose of building new omega-houses. The abandoned printing press had been procured by the TOC a few years prior and had just been sitting there till the need for expansion arose and they needed the space. While the building was old and a definite fixer-upper, its age also meant that what had once been the outskirts of the town was now an address at one of the upcoming regions within the city proper.**

**They had all loved the place the moment they had seen it, easily visualizing where the kitchen would be and where the dining area; but they were adamant that the property had to be theirs. Both Jared and Jensen were clear that if nothing else, the address had to be theirs- after all, this entire venture; _while meticulously planned and theoretically brilliant_ \- was a gamble on their part. And involving the TOC meant that they would soon be responsible for a large group of omegas who had nowhere else to turn to... So if the worst case scenario- _where the restaurant bombed_ , came to pass; it would be heartbreaking and undoubtedly adversely affect all of them, but if they _owned_ the property (as opposed to simply leasing it from the TOC), then they would be able to assure the omegas under their care that they would always have a roof over their heads at the minimum. Working the legal snarls of transferring the property papers to their name was a long winded process, but both parties were eager and with the TOC’s own legal team working on the matter, it only took a few months before Jared and Jensen found themselves the proud owners of the building that would house their restaurant in the recent future. It depleted their funds considerably to procure such a large property, but it was still nowhere near what they had feared they would need to pay for a property of this size and at this remarkable location. The TOC’s financial support in the whole venture also went a long way to ease their concerns...**

**The final ownership documents had been handed over to them four days ago and things had finally started moving at a breakneck pace. Today, their omega charges were due to arrive and Jared found himself pacing the width of the room restlessly as they waited. They had initially planned on chairs, but since the TOC had not divulged the final number of omegas being signed over to them, it was difficult to just estimate things. Besides, as Denny had suggested that the _handlers_ would prefer to see that their omegas were not being coddled. So while they had no intention of following the TOC’s directives regarding _proper omega handling_ , they would camouflage their plans till the omegas were safely signed over and under their care. Consequently, Denny was outfitted in the drab, shapeless shift that was the centre’s omega uniform. His real clothes (comfortable jeans and a tee) were worn underneath. It made him feel a little like superman, Denny had confided to Jared- wearing his clothes underneath what he was expected to be seen in and they were both relishing the thought of tearing it off with a dramatic flourish once the officials had left.**

**Jared himself was dressed head to toe in black. The shirt, while definitely in his size, was fitted enough to hint at his impressive muscles when he crossed his arms. The whole effect was slightly intimidating given his sheer height, but it was what they wanted given Jensen was the sole alpha in charge. Jared would simply hang back and look menacing while Jensen ushered the omegas in. Jensen had opted to go with a classic white-shirt and blue jeans combination, looking professional enough if slightly laid back; relying on his alpha pheromones to convince the handlers that he could manage the responsibility of the omegas being signed over in his care.**

**Jared made another circuit of the room, pausing briefly behind Denny to squeeze his shoulder in assurance as the omega kneeled gracefully on the mats they had spread across the room.**

**“They’re here.” Jensen announced from his position at the door, straightening infinitesimally as he watched the two buses marked with the TOC’ logo come to a halt at the property’s gates.**

**Jared froze for a brief second before going to stand behind Denny. His fingers buried themselves in the omega’s thick hair unconsciously as he massaged the other’s scalp absently. Denny leaned back into the touch, revelling in the contact and opened his eyes just as the first omegas stepped through the doors and into the room.**

**Jared opened his mouth to ask the omegas to sit, but closed it again when he realized they were all kneeling in neat rows without any formal directive from them. Most looked nervous, casting furtive looks around the room and towards him and Denny before looking down hastily again. A few of the older ones, tried looking defiant as they clasped each other’s hands instead of keeping their hands in the palm-up position over their thighs as taught by the TOC but they all looked so woefully defeated that Jared felt his heart break at that meagre expression of rebelliousness. When he kept silent, he caught them peering up at him curiously and one of them accidentally met his gaze. He could see the man going white as spoilt milk and he chose to look elsewhere instead of comment and draw attention to it, knowing from his own bitter personal experience that being singled out never meant anything good. It would be different for them here, but the experiences of a lifetime were hard to overcome and trust would need to be built before he did anything. In the meantime, respecting their boundaries were the best they could hope to do.**

**The sound of the door closing brought a sudden hush to the room and the follow-up creak of the latch turning made even him wince. He met his husband’s gaze over the kneeling omegas and had a sad smile directed his way as Jensen locked up and moved to the front of the room.**

**“Seventy eight in toto.” Jensen called. “Forty nine former breeders and twenty-six rehabilitated omegas. Three volunteers _._ ”**

**Jared nodded, relaxing his posture now that he didn’t have to worry about the TOC coming back. Jensen stood next to him, casually slinging an arm around his waist as he regarded the kneeling omegas.**

**“Well, First off, a very warm welcome to all of you.” Jensen began. “I’m not sure what briefing you were given by the TOC, so I’m going to tell you our side of it. We have brought you all here because we want to share our dream with you all and hope that you will help us achieve it. So technically, that makes us your employers. ... what I’m hoping is that eventually we’ll be able to count on each other as family. As per the TOC’s rules, as the alpha, I’m the one you are to answer to. And while I’m happy to respond to any of your questions, you can approach Jared or Denny as well. Speaking of rules, I know most of you must have had some experience about the TOC’s rules... So,” He clapped his hands loudly, making them all jump and reflexively glance up just as he pulled out the old discipline kit and dropped it on the table. “As you can see, these implements, though old, are unused and brand new. I’ve never had to use them on Jared, yes that muscle bound goofball I call my husband was once an omega much like you. He is currently a beta... long story, I’ll tell you guys about it sometime. _Or Denny._ Yes, as some of you might have recognized, he was a breeder. He’s currently with us as the nanny of our kids. I’ve never had reason to use them on either of these two and I’d like to continue my violence-free streak with you all as well. Be honest, ask questions when in confusion and _tell us_ if you ever encounter any issues... That’s all we ask.”**

**“Coming to why we have invited you here: well, we want to build a restaurant. Jensen’s a professional chef, he’ll teach those of you who’re interested in the kitchen. The rest of you will help as servers and in the general upkeep of the restaurant. Of course, those are not the only two jobs,  there’s a ton of work that goes on to ensure the smooth running of a restaurant and we’ll tell you all about it by and by as we get to know you better.” Jared took over smoothly.**

**“Now, we keep saying restaurant... but truth is, that’s still some way off. This place you’re standing in? Yeah, that’s what’s going to be our restaurant. We need to change the floors, set up a kitchen... the whole she-bang, actually. And you’re all here because we wanted you to be a part of this journey from the first day itself. All your opinions are valid. And all your suggestions will be taken on board. So speak up, alright?” Jensen added.**

**“And while I hope you’ve finally got an inkling of what’s going on, just to make things clear- _you are not here for sex.”_ Jared announced firmly. “In case anyone- _anyone at all,_ demands that from you, please do come to us and we’ll intervene. If you’re not interested in them, then they’re not touching you. Not while you’re under our roof. That said, yes, there will be a mandatory health check up. Dr. Beaver is an omega-specialist and he has volunteered his services for free this weekend. I can tell you from personal experience that he genuinely cares for the omegas under his care, alright? And he’s nothing like the docs you encountered at the TOC. Sure, he’ll grumble and scold; but trust me on this, he’s a good guy.”**

**“I can vouch for that,” Denny spoke up finally. Jensen and Jared smiled as their tiny omega stood up, shoulders back and confident in a way he had never been when he’d first come to them. They noticed a few of the omegas gasping in surprise at his bravery, watching with wide eyes and wondering whether either of them were about to punish the boy for speaking up and relaxing with an awed expression when nothing happened. The chef nudged his husband and the duo went to the back room to retrieve the bags of regular clothes they had purchased for their new omegas.**

**“Dr. Beaver is a good man... as are these two. They will never hurt you; I know that that’s hard to believe for the majority of you, but you just have to take that leap of faith, okay? Just ... just take a chance on us; I know that it’s terrifying... but I can go on about how trustworthy these guys are till I’m blue in the face and ya’ll will still not believe me. You’re not going to believe anything we say till you can see things for yourself... I know this because I was in your shoes not all that long ago, but look at me now-” Denny continued and pulled off his drab shift. “This is what I wear nowadays. And those bags you see them hauling in? Yeah, they contain clothes for you all. The sizes may be wrong, and I’m not sure if we have enough for everybody- _we didn’t know how many of you would be joining us today_ , so just go on and pick up what fits you and don’t fret if you’re the same size as someone else and they got an outfit but you didn’t, or if we don’t have anything in your size at all. Give us a day and let us know your correct sizes, okay? I promise that they’ll get you guys more stuff once you’re all done over here and we can see what the deficit is.”**

**He watched around as he noticed the omegas beginning to cautiously look around. “Now, they have told you why _they_ want you here... now let me tell you why _you_ want to be here. First off, _clothes_! _Especially clothes that fit!_ Is it narcissistic of me to say that? Maybe, I don’t care” He shrugged, “Try wearing those grey shifts for two decades, I’m sure you’ll agree that the change feels good. Second? _Food._ Jensen here is a professional chef. A damn good one, if you ask me. And he loves feeding people. So no more going hungry, okay? These people have never starved me and they’re not going to do it to you either. And thirdly? And I think this is the most important bit, these guys _really_ want to help us. Let’s give them a chance, what do you say?”**

**There had been no resounding cheer to Denny’s rousing speech, but it had touched their charges all the same. All the omegas had looked cautiously optimistic and that was all they could’ve hoped for at the time.**

**They had put all their cards on the table and gambled that their honesty would pay off... and while still wary, the omegas had apparently come to the silent decision to give them a chance. They were still skittish and more than one tried testing their boundaries, but as they had already seen with Denny, not resorting to corporal punishment and ensuring the punishment fit the crime went a long way towards earning their trust.  It took time, but gradually the omegas came to trust them. They were the most dedicated workers they could have hoped for and while some things- such as building the dorm that would house the omegas and restructuring the floor plan of the former press to include make a kitchen and dining area required professional assistance, the omegas proved themselves more than capable of doing whatever was required of them. They had ultimately decided to utilize the high ceiling of the press to add a mezzanine floor to the dining area to increase the number of tables. A similar entresol was also constructed in the omega ‘wing’ that formed the back part of the building to give the omegas a recreational space to do with what they wished.**

**The construction crew, a group of five burly alphas was initially dismissive of the omegas; Jared and Jensen ensured that they were always present when the crew was present to ensure no one harassed _their_ omegas... it was Denny who suggested that since two mezzanine floors needed to be built, they could have a contest between the professional crew and the amateur omegas. The crew would explain what had to be done to the omegas and since they didn’t have any experience in construction, the omega team would take a day to simply observe how things were done. The second day, the two teams would compete in the construction of a particular pre-decided section of the work. Confident in their abilities, the professionals agreed without hesitation to the friendly challenge. What they didn’t count on was the sheer determination to _prove_ themselves in seventy-eight strong omega team. And while they didn’t have prior experience, they utilized the observation day by forming sub-teams with each smaller group watching a part of the task. The sheer number of workers, who had no ego issues and worked as a _team_ allowed the amateurs to win by a slim margin, leaving the professionals slack jawed and taken aback. Fortunately, they were sporting enough to gracefully accept their defeat instead of flying into alpha-rage... and best of all, when they returned the next day; they had newfound respect for the omegas.**

**So things progressed as they were wont to do- with good days and bad... the omegas slowly learned to trust them and once they heard Jared’s story, they welcomed him into their midst. ... but with none of them having ever met an alpha like Jensen before, they _all_ worshiped the ground Jensen walked on. Jensen who never got angry with them and never took out his frustrations on their skin or even made unwelcome sexual advances on any of them was the one they all wanted to impress. And it was understandable... what annoyed Jared was the way a few of the bolder ones actually made overtures to _his_ alpha. Jensen tried avoiding them tactfully at first, but when the omegas started getting bolder with their advances, he was forced to categorically announce that Jared was the only one for him and that he didn’t appreciate their advances.**

**Once the construction was completed they started with the interior decor, unanimously choosing a rustic look with brick-façade walls and minimalist wrought iron lamp-shade which complemented the metal banisters for the mezzanine. The tables they chose had a well-worn wooden finish and the comfortable couches were sprinkled amongst the cosy, wood-backed chairs. Warm mood lighting and hints of green from indoor potted plants completed the look of the restaurant. The kitchen, in stark contrast was all stainless steel and white tiled walls and bright fluorescent lighting. Having a group of amateur cooks led by a single professionally trained chef was a huge gamble for any restaurant, but the omegas were determined to show the world that they were good for more than just popping out babies and most of them- having had some experience in the kitchen proved to be quick study. Jensen carefully designed a menu that while elegant and classy would match the rustic decor of the place and most importantly be something that his team would be able to plate without much trouble. It was hearty fare but served with enough flourish that it was not out-of-place on a restaurant menu and would please most food critiques. His trademark meatloaf was of course, the highlight of the menu; but so were a number of desserts by one of the omegas who had shown particular flair as a pastry chef.**

**The favourite part of the whole place, for all of them; lay behind the locked private entrance at the rear of the restaurant: their omega room. Bright and cheery, it was kitschy and nothing quite went with anything else... but it was a reflection of all their omegas and they loved it. They had initially been uncertain about how to decorate the room, but then they had hit upon the brilliant idea of dividing the money they were planning to spend on the decor by seventy-eight and giving each omega their share and free rein to buy whatever they wanted with the sum. The result was a chaotic jumble of colour and taste, but it gave the room its character. Each omega had their individual bed and cupboard... which could be locked. They were the sole owners of their closet key, a gift of privacy that they had thus far been denied and something that had made them weep when it was given to them. The ‘recreational area’ was outfitted with a large TV, and the floor covered by throw rugs with a few bean-bags scattered through. Their salaries were not enough to support them or allow them to find their own places, but for the first time, they were in a place where their happiness and safety was prized and it made them content.**

**Two days before the grand opening of the restaurant, Chad Michael Murray strode in demanding to be employed. Apparently, he had heard about what Jared and Jensen were trying to achieve and had immediately quit his job to offer his services. When the Ackles-Padalecki duo protested saying he had no background in the hospitality industry, Chad countered by saying that with an all omega crew (given Jensen was going to have his hands full behind the kitchen doors), they would need some ‘muscle’ to scare away the unsavoury elements... something he, as alpha was ideally suited for. Jared huffed at the ridiculous sight of Chad curling his arm to show off his non-existent muscles, crossed his own arms to make the alpha gape at the stretch of fabric over a _beta’s_ bicep bulge and gave in to his friend’s request with a laugh. Jensen just shook his head at the ridiculousness of the two best-friends and went back to the kitchen to resume showing his team the best way to plate their breakfast tray.**

**The final problem was to decide on the name of the place and they had their omegas (and alpha) put in their suggestions in a jar. Jensen refused to have a _name_ as the restaurant’s name (Henry’s, Jensen’s both going to the rejected pile), Jared didn’t want the word ‘omega’ in the name ( _we don’t want them thinking we need to be treated with kiddie gloves just because we don’t have an alpha staff. No, Chad; you don’t count.)_ A lot of dish names were considered before Denny wondered what would happen if they stopped serving that particular item on their menu (Ratatouille and Meatloaf were immediately tossed into the trash.) This left them only with the exotic names on their list... _Sushant_ \- _the only_ breeder _in their team who was not actually an orphan and had had a more-or-less happy childhood with a loving family_ ; suddenly asked if they would like to name it _Doosra Tadka._**

**Sushant’s story was painful not because of what had been done to him by his alphas (but yes, that was obviously there), but because he wasn’t _supposed_ to be a breeder. He had been born to Indian origin parents and they had lived a happy and fulfilling life till he was twelve when they were deported because of some immigration issues. Unfortunately for Sushant, he had been born in the country and considered a ‘citizen’, therefore he was sent to an orphanage instead of back with his parents. While there, someone had noticed the distraught thirteen year old’s exotic looks- a wheatish skin tone offset by large brown eyes with a head full of thick ebony hair, discovered  that he was an omega and had filed his papers with the TOC’s breeder-programme. By the time his parents were able to sort through the legal red-tape and demand his return; he had already been assigned to his first alpha and impregnated. By the time he’d become barren at the age of twenty nine and freed of his ‘obligation to the TOC’, the trail to find his birth parents had been irrevocably lost. He had been contemplating suicide (like many of his peers) when he’d been sent to Jared and Jensen and found a fresh lease of life. He now animatedly explained that _Doosra Tadka_ was a hindi figure of speech that combined two words ( _Doosra_ , meaning second and _Tadka_ meaning seasoning/tempering by adding whole or ground spices are briefly roasted in oil or clarified butter in order to release their essential oils, thus making their flavours more aromatic) and was used to indicate refreshing a curry and giving it a fresh taste of life by adding a second seasoning. It was basically a reflection of what the restaurant was for them all: a second lease of life.**

**Jared met Jensen’s eyes as he realized that they had found their restaurant’s name and found the alpha’s gaze already on him.**

**\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**The restaurant’s launch was a gala evening with the entire who’s who of the TOC in attendance along with Chefs and restaurateurs from across the city. Doctors Beaver and Morgan were invited as special guests in recognition of their help as was Chef Sheppard. Quite a few noticeable political faces were also present as were those the entertainment industry. Socialites rubbed shoulders with leaders from various humanitarian organizations and donations flowed into the TOC’s coffers.**

**By the time the night ended, everyone was exhausted beyond belief, but buzzing with satisfaction from how successfully they had been received. They all wanted nothing but to sleep for a week and it was Jensen who had to remind them that the true test of the restaurant would begin the next day when they would be expected to maintain the standards they had set today despite their exhaustion.**

**The reminder worked and the service and dishes were as impeccable as on their grand opening night when the restaurant opened for the public next morning. The media coverage of the opening night’s star-studded attendance went a long way in ensuring a steady footfall, and most of their patrons were respectful of the servers. There were a few rude customers, but Chad’s glare was enough to make them moderate their tone... and the only blip was a group of men who had made reservations for a stag party. The ‘best man’ kept asking for their ‘ _special’_ , convinced that along with the food, the servers were also on the menu. When Chad’s warning to not touch the servers was ignored twice, Jared abandoned his position behind the counter and joined the alpha ‘muscle’ at the table; calmly announcing that they had failed to follow the restaurant’s policy and obey its rules and needed to leave. Jared’s intimidating height and obvious show of power knocked some sense into the groom and he silenced his best man’s whining with an apology. He offered monetary compensation for his friends’ behaviour and unceremoniously led them outside. Jared frowned when he returned a few minutes later but relaxed when the man just apologised and confessed that he was glad that _Doosra Tadka_ was not ‘that kind of joint’ because while he hadn’t been able to say it to his friend’s, he was head over heels in love with his fiancé and was actually terrified of being forced to be intimate with anyone not her. He wished them luck and promised to return with his spouse when they returned from their honeymoon.**

**Six months in, they were popular enough to get featured on a local magazine. It was a small monthly journal, but Alexander Calvert’s restaurant reviews were popular enough that they were proud of the achievement. They still had a long way to go, but this was a promising start and Jared planned to enjoy this brand new adventure to the fullest.**

  
  
**The End.**  
  
(click to enlarge)

Alexander Calvert's article-  
[](https://ic.pics.livejournal.com/sanshal/39634388/56771/56771_original.jpg)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that brings us to the close of this tale. Hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> A/N- Hey folks!  
> So... I started a timestamp for my Omega verse. Hope you enjoy! And happy holidays to all my readers :-)


End file.
